BMW 3 series coupe - choice

obi604

Hello

Im now thinking of buying a 2007 BMW 3 series coupe. i.e. no effecient dynamics

And either the 320i or the 325i

Dunno wheter to go manual or automatic

So to list the choices

- 2007 BMW 320i Coupe Manual
- 2007 BMW 320i Coupe Automatic
- 2007 BMW 325i Coupe Manual
- 2007 BMW 325i Coupe Automatic

I want to buy one with under 55,000 miles if possible

Anyone have any comments on which one would be best to choose and why ?
Are these reliable or will they cause issues ?
Anything to look out for ?

Tea 1000

obi604 wrote: »

Hello

Im now thinking of buying a 2007 BMW 3 series coupe. i.e. no effecient dynamics

And either the 320i or the 325i

Dunno wheter to go manual or automatic

So to list the choices

- 2007 BMW 320i Coupe Manual
- 2007 BMW 320i Coupe Automatic
- 2007 BMW 325i Coupe Manual
- 2007 BMW 325i Coupe Automatic

I want to buy one with under 55,000 miles if possible

Anyone have any comments on which one would be best to choose and why ?
Are these reliable or will they cause issues ?
Anything to look out for ?

325i manual. Best to drive out of the lot for obvious reasons.
The BMW auto is an excellent box though, but for a Coupe, it'd have to be manual. If it were a saloon or estate I were buying, I'd consider the auto.

Theboinkmaster

Tea 1000 wrote: »

325i manual. Best to drive out of the lot for obvious reasons.
The BMW auto is an excellent box though, but for a Coupe, it'd have to be manual. If it were a saloon or estate I were buying, I'd consider the auto.

Obviously the 325i and manual or auto is just a personal choice - I'd have the auto myself.

copacetic

The 325 in auto is your best bet, very few manuals around.

If you can stretch to 08, you get the benefit of the newer 3.0l engine, paddle shift plus much lower tax, they are dearer because of that but you should make most of it back when moving it on.

obi604

copacetic wrote: »

The 325 in auto is your best bet, very few manuals around.

If you can stretch to 08, you get the benefit of the newer 3.0l engine, paddle shift plus much lower tax, they are dearer because of that but you should make most of it back when moving it on.

Dont think I can stretch to the 08 and ive been told that the 08's have efficeint dynamics and these have reliability issues

copacetic

obi604 wrote: »

Dont think I can stretch to the 08 and ive been told that the 08's have efficeint dynamics and these have reliability issues

Not the 325 afaik.

listermint

Hate driving the Auto box personally. (like actually HATE)

I would suggest disregarding everything people are typing here and test driving both types personally and then seeing which you prefer.

Big Nasty

OP were you not looking at an Octavia a few months back and thought the 1.8 might be too big?

EDIT: Had a look back through your posts to check. It was you! You're also interested in Passats as well as 3ers and 5ers? Do you really know what you do want?

obi604

MCMLXXV wrote: »

OP were you not looking at an Octavia a few months back and thought the 1.8 might be too big?

EDIT: Had a look back through your posts to check. It was you! You're also interested in Passats as well as 3ers and 5ers? Do you really know what you do want?

thats me alright. im indecisive as fcuk so I am.
I figure you only live once and I may as well just buy a nice car . Im now decided on this 2007 BMW coupe

Big Nasty

obi604 wrote: »

thats me alright. im indecisive as fcuk so I am.
I figure you only live once and I may as well just buy a nice car . Im now decided on this 2007 BMW coupe

Sure you should test drive them all then you will have experienced everything!

Alanstrainor

The 2.5 litre straight 6 is a great engine. Definitely go for the 6 cylinder if you can. They should be a good bit cheaper as a result of the high tax.

I may be slightly biased however...:D

obi604

Alanstrainor wrote: »

The 2.5 litre straight 6 is a great engine. Definitely go for the 6 cylinder if you can. They should be a good bit cheaper as a result of the high tax.

I may be slightly biased however...:D

Thanks. So its a great engine and is fast, but is it reliable ?

Alanstrainor

obi604 wrote: »

Thanks. So its a great engine and is fast, but is it reliable ?

I believe it's the n52 engine, with an electric water pump. My dads water pump went after 60,000 miles or so. But I'm not overly familiar with the n52 to be perfectly honest.

obi604

Anybody know for sure if these cars ( 2007 BMW 320i and 325i ) have a timing BELT or CHAIN ?
And if it differentiates between Automatic and Manual gearboxes.

goz83

I'd definitely be pushing for an 08. Having driven both auto and manual 318 bmw, I would pick the auto any day as it's much more comfortable to drive imo. And i'm not biased, because i have driven auto and manual mitsi ftos aswell and I prefer the manual box in them.

Greyfoot

Chain, 100%, auto or manual, makes no difference in timing.

obi604

I do alot of city driving. start / stop driving in traffic. With this kind of driving, if I was to go for a manual, would that be a bad choice based on all the clutching and gear changes I do and that being bad for a manual gearbox ?
I counted on my commute one time and and one way was about 50 gear changes in the manual

I have this thing in my head that city driving is better suited to an automatic gear box or am I just talking sh1te : ) or is the automatic gear box also under alot of stress due to this start / stop city driving.

Sligo1

Hi!

I have a 320i manual coupe and I love it! Feel great every time I drive it. Have to get rid of it soon tho as need bigger car.

I have to say I way prefer driving manuals to automatics as I actual feel like Im driving if you know what I mean. Have had an automatic in the past. However, I would say (and this is just my opinion) if you do a lot of driving in the city an automatic would prob be a lot handier for you. Im not too sure in regards to the dynamics and reliability of the gearbox tho. I lived in the country when I bought my coupe new and manual was great. But now, due to driving around the city a lot I am probabaly more inclined to buying an automatic in the new year! I think they are just a lot handier for starting and breaking all the time. My brother also bought an automatic car for this reason.

Hope you find a nice car. The 320 coupes are great in my opinion!

listermint

obi604 wrote: »

I do alot of city driving. start / stop driving in traffic. With this kind of driving, if I was to go for a manual, would that be a bad choice based on all the clutching and gear changes I do and that being bad for a manual gearbox ?
I counted on my commute one time and and one way was about 50 gear changes in the manual

I have this thing in my head that city driving is better suited to an automatic gear box or am I just talking sh1te : ) or is the automatic gear box also under alot of stress due to this start / stop city driving.

if its alot of city driving go for the auto.

Otherwise manual is your man. Having driven a few auto 325s, BMW do a superb job on them there is still auto lag where you dont want it. And i hate that.

Having said that if i was a regular city commuter i would get an auto.

obi604

Does the automatic cars mentioned in the opening thread have the option to change gear manually if needed? ( tip tronic.........or whatever its called in BMW's )

obi604

Greyfoot wrote: »

Chain, 100%, auto or manual, makes no difference in timing.

Ok so I think your saying both the manual and the automatic have a chain ( as opposed to a belt )

Anybody know when this chain is recommended to be changed e.g. 60,000 miles or 5 years etc.

I want to know this beforehand so that when I go to to a garage or whatever that I have my facts straight as regards when this chain should be changed

copacetic

obi604 wrote: »

Does the automatic cars mentioned in the opening thread have the option to change gear manually if needed? ( tip tronic.........or whatever its called in BMW's )

Yes, in the 07 you have DS mode with +/- by pushing gear lever forward and back.
So you have two options when overtaking, pushing pedal to the floor, engaging kickdown button, which has a slight lag. Or pushing auto lever to side into driver sport mode, then slipping down a gear before you overtake, dash will indicate say M5 for manual 5. The car will leave you in manual mode until you start cruising or stop changing gears up and down.

In the 08 with the 3.0l, you have as above put the addition of paddles, so you don't have to touch gear lever. You just drop a gear or two with paddles as you pull out to overtake.

Either way you can easily avoid any lag or drive the car pretty much permanently in manual mode if you like. Most of the issues mentioned above are non issues in a late mode auto and don't apply to these cars.

bazz26

This looks decent enough, it's pre Efficent Dynamics and has the BMW Professional DVD widescreen Sat Nav and I-Drive system. The one thing that would concern me though is the no mention of a service history.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201216207780432

Worth a look?

obi604

obi604 wrote: »

.............
I want to know this beforehand so that when I go to to a garage or whatever that I have my facts straight as regards when this chain should be changed

Never by design, only changed if there's a problem, there shouldn't be.

obi604

bazz26 wrote: »

This looks decent enough, it's pre Efficent Dynamics and has the BMW Professional DVD widescreen Sat Nav and I-Drive system. The one thing that would concern me though is the no mention of a service history.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201216207780432

Worth a look?

Tis Bazz. I presume 56000 miles is not too high for a 5 year old petrol ?

obi604

RoverJames wrote: »

obi604 wrote: »

.............
I want to know this beforehand so that when I go to to a garage or whatever that I have my facts straight as regards when this chain should be changed

Never by design, only changed if there's a problem, there shouldn't be.

What do you mean by " never by design " ?
Do you mean that the chains on BMWs have no pre determined time to be changed ?

obi604

obi604 wrote: »

........
Do you mean that the chains on BMWs have no pre determined time to be changed ?

Yep.

bazz26

56000 miles is low for a car approaching 6 years old, even more so on a 6 cylinder. Of course more important is that it was maintained properly.

obi604

bazz26 wrote: »

56000 miles is low for a car approaching 6 years old, even more so on a 6 cylinder. Of course more important is that it was maintained properly.

So a 6 cylinder car if looked after has more longevity than a 4 cylinder that's looked after also.

bazz26

obi604 wrote: »

So a 6 cylinder car if looked after has more longevity than a 4 cylinder that's looked after also.

In theory larger engines can be less stressed than their smaller counterparts but that is not always the case.

obi604

So drove a 2007 BMW 325i AUTOMATIC today

lovely comfortable car and smooth when cruising

However when you put the foot down, seems to struggle and rev high and stuff, but maybe thats cause I have feck all experience with driving automatic cars

Anyone have any idea on real world MPG for this car with the automatic gearbox ??
I like it and all but dont want to get totally ridden on petrol costs......if it has a really ****e MPG

And also for a person thats used to driving the 325i automatic, how do you find the acceleration ?